29 de fev de 2016

The 31st of February was a rock and roll band formed by Jacksonville, Florida natives Scott Boyer, David Brown and Butch Trucks. All three were alumni of Englewood High School in Jacksonville, though they did not come together musically until Brown and Trucks found themselves living on the same floor of a dormitory at Florida State University in the fall of 1965. Having heard the folk-rock of groups like The Byrds and The Lovin' Spoonful, saxophonist Brown bought an electric bass and started to jam with drummer Trucks, an alumnus of The Vikings, The Echoes and the Jacksonville Symphonette. Guitarist and vocalist Boyer, making his living as a folk singer, was contacted by Brown who offered his and Trucks' services if Boyer would trade his acoustic guitar for an electric guitar. Boyer agreed and the three formed a group, The Bitter Ind. (short for Independents). Playing fraternity parties, growing their hair long and ceasing to attend their classes (in Brown's and Trucks' cases), the group left Tallahassee after the end of the school year and tried their hand at performing in Daytona Beach. After being turned down repeatedly by club owners, the group found a bit of luck, landing a one-night performance at the Club Martinique. Shortly into their set, two members of the Allman Joys, a group that frequently appeared at the club, walked in and sat down. After the group finished, the two members introduced themselves and lavished praise on the group. They were the namesakes of the Allman Joys, Duane and Gregg Allman. When the Bitter Ind. relayed their story of their inability to get steady employment, the Allmans offered them free lodging. In time, the Bitter Ind. returned to Jacksonville discouraged, their meeting with the brothers Allman the only high point of their journey. Shortly after returning to Jacksonville, however, Trucks received a call from Duane Allman, stating that the Allman Joys were playing at the Beachcomber, a Jacksonville club, and that they needed a drummer. Trucks agreed to sit in for the night. After the show, Duane Allman suggested to Trucks to ask the club manager to let the Bitter Ind. audition. The manager agreed, loved the group's sound and let them stay on through mid-1967. After their engagement ended, the group, no doubt under threat of legal action from the New York nightclub The Bitter End, decided to change their name. After briefly using the moniker "The Tiffany System", the group found themselves in Miami, Florida, signed to folk giant Vanguard Records as The 31st of February. Their eponymous debut album was released in early 1968, a heady mix of folk-rock and psychedelic pop. After its failure to get noticed, the group added a lead guitarist and began to rework their sound. Almost immediately, the group again ran into Duane and Gregg Allman, who had just broken up their post-Allman Joys group The Hour Glass. Electing to join forces, the newly hired guitarist was fired and the remaining five-piece began performing throughout the Southeast. In September 1968, they began recording material for their second album, including nascent versions of "Melissa" (which would come out on the Allman Brothers Band's Eat A Peach album in 1972) and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" (which Duane Allman would later cut with Derek and the Dominos). Though the material would not come out until four years later, they serve as an important bridge towards the sound that The Allman Brothers Band would be producing within twelve months. Whilst in the midst of recording and touring, Gregg Allman elected to move out to southern California in order to let his brother and the remaining members of the Hour Glass be freed from their contract with Liberty Records. Though Gregg offered the others positions in his backing band, nothing came of it and in a matter of months, Butch Trucks would join Duane and Gregg Allman in The Allman Brothers Band. Scott Boyer ended up forming the group Cowboy with Tommy Talton, eventually signing to the Allman Brothers Band's label, Capricorn Records. He is currently recovering from artery replacement surgery. David Brown ended up a studio bassist, eventually joining Boz Scaggs's band and, later, Cowboy with Boyer. He remains a member of Norton Buffalo and the Knockouts despite Norton Buffalo's untimely death on 30 October 2009. After joining the Allman Brothers Band, Butch Trucks has stayed there since 1969, save for the group's first (1976–1979) and second (1982–1989) hiatuses.

8 de fev de 2016

Lester Butler (November 12, 1959 – May 9, 1998) was an American blues harmonica player and singer. He achieved fame as the singer and harmonica player for the Los Angeles, California, based blues roots band, The Red Devils. The Red Devils (originally known as The Blue Shadows) released one album, 1992's King King. It was produced by Rick Rubin on his Def American record label. The group featured drummer Bill Bateman (The Blasters), Dave Lee Bartel on guitar, Paul Size on lead guitar, Johnny Ray Bartel on bass, and pianist Gene Taylor. The Red Devils recorded 22 tracks with Mick Jagger in June 1992, produced by Rubin, though the tracks were not issued at the time (they have since cropped up on various bootlegs, and one track was officially released on a Mick Jagger compilation on Rhino Records in 2007). The band also backed actor and sometime musician Bruce Willis, when the action star performed at his Planet Hollywood clubs.

The Devils also backed Johnny Cash on music that was not released until the country singer's death, on the boxed set Unearthed. Butler also played on Rancid's 1998 album Life Won't Wait. After the breakup of The Red Devils, Butler also fronted the band, 13, releasing one self-titled record on Hightone Records in 1997. The original members of 13 included Kid Ramos on guitar, James Intveld on bass, and Johnny Morgan on drums. The recorded release of 13 on Hightone Records and produced by Warren Croyle features Stephen Hodges and Johnny Morgan on drums, Tom Leavey and James Moore on bass, Andy Kaulkin on keyboards, Alex Schultz, Smokey Hormel, Paul Bryant, and Doug Hamlin on guitar. Butler achieved his greatest fame in Europe, especially the Netherlands, where the Lester Butler Tribute Band still performs. Butler died of an overdose of heroin and cocaine on May 9, 1998, in Los Angeles at the age of 38. Two of his friends were convicted in his death of involuntary manslaughter.

5 de fev de 2016

A solo project by the Japanese artist/producer K.Saito first showcased in March 2009 at the SXSW MUSIC convention in Austin, Texas. This was followed by the release of the album, ‘SELF TITLED’, on NYC based WAX POETICS magazine’s WAX POETICS RECORDS label. The album’s mix of electric fusion and boogie as well as high production values gained Saito both fans and critical acclaim around the world, including many well known names within the world of music.

2 de fev de 2016

The sole album by this quintet from Cheltenham, England, came and went in May 1972. Fronted by husband-and-wife duo Michael and Barbara Wainwright, they played a deft blend of prog, folk-rock, and singer-songwriter material, but failed to connect with an audience at the time. The original LP has sold for over $500, and makes its long-overdue return to CD here, complete with background notes and rare images. ( http://www.forcedexposure.com/Catalog/9-30-fly-cd/PT.8043CD.html )